Who exactly diagnoses SPD?

by gloria
(sugar land, tx)

I have a beautiful and very loving 3 year old son. My son hasn't officially been diagnosed w/SPD, but he does have symptoms. He can't stand when someone touches his head. Haircuts are awful. I have to chase him around the whole house to brush his hair. It used to be where you couldn't touch his hands as well. That has gotten a lot better.

He has transition problems. He has problems going to new places, its like he gets an anxiety attack. He gets really scared and won't stop crying. Early Child Intervention started seeing my son at 2 1/2ys for speech delay. They noticed the same things I saw. He learned how to suck from a straw at 2 1/2 because he couldn't figure out how to use a straw.

He recently started a special program this year. It's like school, a bus picks him up and brings him home. He was recently evaluated by an OT and I was told he is delayed in his fine motor skills and he qualifies for OT 4 times a week and he will be receiving OT at school.

I have attended two ARD meetings already to discuss his progress. He has progressed a lot. He knows his alphabet,number, and colors. He can do simple puzzles and stack blocks. His speech is much better. He is talking in phrases now and is very verbal at home.

I know he has classic symptoms of SPD, but he hasn't been officially diagnosed. Who makes that diagnosis? A child psychologist? My baby seems so normal at home now that he is talking and singing and dancing. Is this something that will go away? I really don't know how to take this all in.

Comments for Who exactly diagnoses SPD?

In our experience, my son's pediatric physical therapist diagnosed him with SPD. In his case, it is another element of his cerebral palsy. One of the therapies we are using under the supervision of the occupational therapist is Therapeutic Listening, electronically modulated music to train his brain to hear properly, so that noises won't send him through the roof. It is also used for autism, speech therapy, and it affects the vestibular part of the brain, too, for balance, etc.

Feb 15, 2009Rating

Doing the right thingby: Anonymous

Thank u so much for yalls input. It feels good to hear I'm doing the right thing. I want to get him all the help he needs early on, so he can have a better outcome.

My son just recently turned 3 so I think there is still time to work with him before he starts school. Hopefully when he starts school, he won't be so far behind and school won't be so hard for him.

I guess it's hard for me to understand and accept the situation b/c I look at him and see a healthy 3 year old, and then i think to myself, "there is nothing wrong with him", "what are they talking about?!?" But I don't want to be one of those parents in denial and not get him the help he needs.

I thank god for his blessings, because it can always be worse. There are lots of parents out there w/very sick babies and there is no solution to their problems. I can get my son some help to make things better for him, and that makes me feel good.

Feb 15, 2009Rating

same ideaby: Anonymous

I would recommend working through your OT for best results and referral to medical personnel perhaps. There's a book called "Sensory Secrets: How to Jump-Start Learning in Children"" by Catherine Chemin Schneider that has a fabulous checklist type of screening tool that could help you to help your son get the help he needs, and you could share it w/ your pediatrician and other doctors. Best Wishes....you are on the right road of advocacy! Sue (IL)

Feb 15, 2009Rating

SPD Diagnosisby: Anonymous

My son was diagnosed by an OT but I believe you can also see a neuro-developmental pediatrician for an official diagnosis. There is a very long wait to see those Drs. though so I would recommend the OT first. Best of luck!